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Fiction/Heroic Journey
Ordinary World – Limited Awareness *Prologue: Disorientation leads to suggestibility *Should contrast sharply with, yet foreshadow, the special world *Set an inner and outer problem for the character *The hero enters, is introduced, audience identifies with them *The hero lacks something, has a tragic flaw, or a deep wound *Illustrate this with inability to perform a simple function *Establish what’s at stake *Exposition reveals backstory *The theme is set Call to Adventure – Increased Awareness *An inciting incident occurs to get the story rolling *It may be synchronicity, temptation etc *A HERALD often makes the call *The call often produces disorientation and discomfort for the hero *The call is often a loss in the character’s life *It may be simply the lack of any other options *In tragedy, the call is often in the form of a dire warning Refusal of the Call – Reluctance to Change *Excuses are used to avoid the call *Hesitation illustrates the formidability of the challenge ahead *Persistent refusal leads to tragedy *Willing vs reluctant heroes *A THRESHOLD GUARDIAN may test the hero’s resolve *Conflicting calls may be given, leading to difficult choices Meeting the Mentor – Overcoming Reluctance *A MENTOR is in the widest sense simply a “source of wisdom” *They may not be personified, or may be incongruously so *The mentor is often an evolved hero *The mentor archetype assists the hero in overcoming their fear Crossing the First Threshold – Committing to Change *The first turning point *A THRESHOLD GUARDIAN tests the hero's resolve *An external event forces the hero to make a decision *The decision leads to an internal commitment to the journey *Their threat may be illusionary, the solution simply to push through *Resistance creates change and strength, hence the guardian allows the hero to grow *The guardian may be turned into an ally *A physical or metaphorical crossing is made into the Special World of Act II *The crossing is an irrevocable leap of faith, from which there’s no turning back *The passage to the Special World may be exhausting, frustrating, disorientating Tests, Allies, Enemies – Experimenting with First Change *The first impression of the Special World should be in stark contrast to the Ordinary World *The hero is tested with a series of obstacles, although not life-death as later *A quest for information may lead to new friends or allies, a team may be forged *Enemies may be made through encounters with SHADOWS or their servants *A rival of the hero may emerge *New Rules of the Special World must be learnt by hero and audience *A ‘watering hole’ - bar - is a commonplace setting for these relationships to emerge *A bar can involve music, danger, flirting, gambling Approach the Inmost Cave – Preparing for Big Change *Final preparations are made for the central ordeal of the adventure *A series of dramatic complications further test the spirit *In romance, approach involves courtship *Obstacles and messages: beware illusions *A THRESHOLD GUARDIAN may be passed by earning respect *The challenges of the past inform the journey *A second special world is entered *Preparations are made *Another threshold is crossed, possibly by emotional appeal to the guardian *A figure representing the status quo presents a seemingly impossible test *A shamanic territory is entered, on the border of life and death *The stakes are upped, the audience is reminded the “clock is ticking” *Archetypes in a group might be changed as reorganization occurs *The hero or group “gets into the opponent’s mind” *Breakthrough occurs into the inner cave, from which there is no exit Ordeal – Attempting Big Change *The central crisis, the hero “dies” so they can be reborn *A witness to the hero's “death” can be effective *Relief from the ordeal leads to the greatest elation on the other side *The hero may not die, but rather cause or witness death *The hero faces a demonised shadow, a reflection of their own darker side *The villain/shadow may die, which should be extremely difficult *Death of villain should switch Act III focus to moral/spiritual issues *Villain may escape, to be encountered again at the Climax *In romance, the death may be of the relationship, betrayal etc *Or, the crisis may involve a sacred marriage – opposing energies are reconciled *If the hero actually dies at this point (Pycho) – who is the next hero? *The hero faces their greatest fear – an authority or family figure often *This battle of youth vs age – possibility of atonement *The ordeal signifies death of the ego, an apotheosis Reward – Consequence of the Attempt *A time of celebration, nostalgia, love scenes…beware the cliché! *The hero takes possession of the treasure – perhaps becoming a TRICKSTER briefly *The treasure may be the gift of new perception gained surviving the ordeal *This new perception may create a moment of clarity, even clairvoyance *The moment may be of great self-realization for the hero *It may also be an epiphany for the hero’s companions Road Back – Rededication to Change *New doubts and fears are overcome, and the hero rededicates to the adventure *Motivation may come from fear of retaliation *Expendable minor characters may be killed *The hero may run for their life – a chase – back to the ordinary world *A sacrifice may be made in the chase, in order to stall the pursuer *Variously, the hero may be pursued by admirers, or the villain may escape *A setback, reversal of the hero's good fortune, tests the hero's resolve to finish Resurrection – Final Attempt at Big Change *The climax, where death is faced finally *A new personality is needed for the hero to return to the Ordinary World *It should reflect the best part of the old self and the lessons along the way *One function of the resurrection is cleansing *There is a decisive confrontation with the shadow – a ‘showdown’ *The stakes are at their highest – it’s not just the hero, it’s the ‘world’ at stake *The climax should involve a choice that illustrates if the hero has really grown *It may be a quiet climax, a gentle cresting of the wave of emotion *Rolling climaxes may occur as plot and subplots climax *An emotion climax may lead to a physical one, followed by catharsis *Ideally, the story brings all levels to climax at the same moment *Catharsis, purging, is the relief following the climax *Catharsis is the logical climax of the character arc, the slow growth through the story *Catharsis works best through the physical emotions of laughter and crying *The hero may misstep at the last moment, before succeeding *A false claimant may emerge, creating the need for the hero to provide proof *Resurrection often calls for sacrifice, something given up for the greater good *The hero should have incorporated elements of the archetypes they met on the way *The change in the hero is outwardly manifested in their behaviour, attitude, actions Return with the Elixir – Final Mastery of the Problem *The denouement *Completion of the circle *Repetition of an image/phrase/metaphor from Act I, but with new meaning *Completion of a task that was impossible at the beginning of the film *Achievement of Perfection – weddings/new beginnings *Open-ended form – new questions are posed, resonating after the film ends *A return should unravel in a surprising manner *Punishment should come in the form of poetic justice to the villain *Likewise, the hero should be rewarded in proportion to their ordeal/sacrifice *A cynical world view would inform the nature of rewards/punishment *The hero must return with the elixir – a literal or metaphorical item of healing *Love, change, responsibility, tragedy, sadder but wiser *If the hero doesn’t return with the elixir, they are doomed to repeat the ordeal *All subplots should be resolved *Avoid both overly protracted and abrupt endings *Focus on the central theme should remain to the last moment *What is the ‘punctuation’ of the ending? Closed (.) or (!), or Open (…) or (?) *One way or another, the ending must signal a sense of completion Category:Guide to Writing